5 Greatest Drinking Movies

credit: Beerfest

Promoting drinking isn’t that bad of a thing, but it can become kind of negative when one decides to promote the type of drinking that leads one into trouble and great harm. But when used in a movie setting, and for a comedic or dramatic effect, it becomes far more useful and can also show the dangers that come with the massive consumption of alcohol.

Like many things, the comedic effect is that the humor takes some of the sting out of the more depressing aspects of alcoholism and the many effects it can cause. When used to such an effect, it can help to tell a great story that people will remember and likely embrace since, like it or not, a lot of us get kind of funny when we’re drunk, especially when everyone is having a good time and not worrying too much about what alcohol can do when consumed past a certain point. 

With that in mind, here are five great movies that have something, or a lot, to do with drinking.  

5. The Legend of Drunken Master

The one misconception that this movie gives is that a person fights better when they’re drunk, but the truth is that a person feels less pain when they’re drunk, while their coordination decreases immensely with each drink that follows the one before it. In this movie, however, it’s shown how skill and liquor can combine to create a fighter who is loose but powerful, flexible yet rigid enough in their manner that they can take on a large group of attackers without being worried about the outcome.

It’s an impressive showing of what Jackie Chan can do, to be certain, as his on-screen antics and fighting scenes come together in a stunning display of alcohol-infused hilarity that allows him to take on several opponents at a time while swaying and swinging around them as he gets absolutely sloshed at one point. 

4. The Hangover

credit: The Hangover

Drinking is definitely what started out this wild night that the guys couldn’t remember for the longest time and still couldn’t recall at the end until they saw the photographic evidence of what had happened. It doesn’t help at all that Alan drugged their drinks, including his own appearance, but it does help when creating a story that was bound to become one of the funniest stories around at that time.

The two sequels divided the fans on how effective they were, but the fact is that as a movie that features drinking as a big part of the plot, it comes off in a very effective way since it created a great deal of drama where there might have only been a half-baked comedy otherwise. 

3. World’s End

credit: World’s End

There were a few sad and realistic notes about the depressing nature of being an alcoholic, but at the same time, it was funny since once the guys realized that the town they’d grown up in had been infiltrated by strange, robotic aliens that bled blue and were insanely strong, they started doing the only thing that made sense, they continued to drink.

Given that the initial goal was to complete the Golden Mile, which was mapped out by Gary King and included every notable pub in the town, accomplishing this would have at least given some meaning to Gary’s life. That’s kind of sad to think about, but at the same time, the movie was hilarious once it really got going. 

2. The Big Lebowski

credit: The Big Lebowski

The Dude was seen more than once with either a beer or a drink in one hand since, well, the Dude likes to drink. It could be stated that there was more than just alcohol that was necessary to watch this movie and really enjoy it, but the fact that the Dude had a favorite drink and that it was shown rather prominently a few times is enough to put it on this list.

As far as the movie goes, it’s actually a little more interesting to take in a few drinks and then watch it since it tends to get even better for some reason. But all in all, this movie is great since it’s one of those that doesn’t lean too heavily into the drinking aspect but keeps it around just enough to make things interesting. 

1. Beerfest

credit: Beerfest

This is one of the only movies that’s all about drinking, and as goofy as it gets, the movie is absolutely hilarious since it can’t help the way it is, thanks to the guys at Broken Lizard. But what it does is bring together a few very entertaining actors, such as the late, great Cloris Leachman, and even a short stint by Donald Sutherland.

The main gist of the story is that two brothers are trying to place their grandfather’s ashes where they belong and happen upon Beerfest, and later on, assemble a team to take on the Germans, the reigning champions. It’s a fun trip during the course of the movie, and yes, this much drinking would likely kill every actor that rounded out the cast.